Shopping for potential homes is the best albeit tiring part. You will be going around new estates or properties and old developments to tour listings. You will be judging each property and imagining what your life is going to be like when you finally move in.
However, in between admiring the marble countertop and swooning at the massive backyard, there is one other factor that you may have not been checking but will seriously affect the enjoyment of your home.
Unless you decide to move to the middle of nowhere, you will have to interact and live beside a neighbor. Some neighbors would not give you problems and can even turn into your close friends with whom you can swap recipes or call when you need someone to watch over your kids or pets when you are away. Others may keep to themselves but, otherwise, would not cause any headache.
If you are really unlucky, you may get stuck beside a neighbor who will make your life a living hell.
It is impossible to judge a person without spending a lot of time with them, but there will always be red flags that will warn you of bad behaviors that will manifest later on. So, before you drop your entire life’s savings on a house, here are the signs you should look out for.
Flood Lights and Cameras
There are two reasons why your neighbor could have an excessive number of high-powered floodlights and cameras around their home and both are good enough to convince you to run very far away.
A high-crime rate in the area is the first possible reason for their seemingly extreme safeguarding. Your neighbor might have had experience encountering trespassers, looters, and other suspicious individuals. Or, there had been reports about unlawful activities around them. Either way, you should do your research about the neighborhood before you close the sale.
A disregard for your privacy is another possibility. Obviously, you would not want to be recorded in your own home. It would not make you feel comfortable knowing that their cameras are pointed at you and watching your every move. The bright floodlights will be a nuisance at night when you are trying to sleep.
There is a very distinct line between being safe and being intrusive, and this kind of neighbor would not mind crossing it.
Too Many Questions
When shopping for homes, you are encouraged to interact and spend time with potential neighbors. It will allow you to ask questions about the neighborhood, the house, and its previous tenants, etc. They can also get to know you, too.
However, there have been instances when the neighbor pops around house viewings and asks questions that you may not be too comfortable divulging to a stranger.
A neighbor who full-on interviews potential homebuyers can cause a problem later on. They may be the type who likes to gossip and stir drama. This type of neighbor will always be watching your every move in case they see something that they can divulge to someone else.
You would know that you are dealing with the neighborhood’s gossip queen when they start talking about residents.
The Self-Appointed Mayor
There is always one in every neighborhood.
It is not always a bad thing when a resident makes an effort to bring neighbors together with the aim of improving the peace and aesthetic of the neighborhood. However, some tend to police other people’s actions.
It will be infuriating to have someone calling you out for every minor mistake. You should not be getting a note on your front door because you failed to mow your lawn one time or you had a few people over for dinner.
You should be free to do whatever you want in your own home as long as it does not disrupt the lives of your neighbor, but some people think that it is their responsibility to uphold others to very high standards. You would not be very happy living beside a neighbor who seems to enjoy pointing out all your flaws.
Buying a house means you cannot just walk out and move somewhere else if you do not like your neighbors. You will be stuck with them for years, if not decades, more. Before you purchase your home, make an effort to get to know the people around you so that you can avoid living with unpleasant people.
